Toys have been around for centuries in a wide variety of ever evolving forms developed with new concepts and technologies. The novelty of toys enables children and adults to enjoy countless hours of pleasure by utilizing their imagination in combination with the characteristics of the toy. Children also derive pleasure from playing with toys or objects which have as an element of surprise, hidden or "mystery" components which are new to the child or not entirely understood. Magicians have almost always relied upon the element of surprise to provide entertainment to audiences world wide.
Manufacturers of consumable products, such as the caramel coated popcorn sold under the trademark "CRACKER JACK", also rely on the element of surprise to provide entertainment and will "hide" an inexpensive toy surprise inside a box containing the product, as an enticement to purchase the product to discover the identity of the hidden surprise.
Numerous toys are used in conjunction with or rely on water to provide some or all of their entertainment value, e.g., boats, floats, beach balls, etc. In addition, other toys have been developed which utilize the combination of mystery in conjunction with water.
At least one toy manufacturer, i.e., MATTEL CO., has provided a toy which utilizes a material which dissolves when placed in water to expose another object contained within the material. One such toy is the unisex baby doll sold under the trade mark MATTEL'S NURSERY BABY. This doll wears a swaddling robe which, when removed and placed in water, reveals a plastic pouch containing a card identifying whether the doll is male or female and an article of doll clothing consistent with the gender of the doll and intended to be worn by the doll.
Novelty item manufacturers as well, have developed products utilizing a gelatin or other type of capsule, similar to a pharmaceutical capsule, containing therein an object, such as an animal, etc., made of a sponge-like, compressible material which is released when the capsule dissolves in water.
The concept of providing a dissolvable package or container is also well known in other areas, such as for dispensing dishwashing or laundry detergent contained within a dissolvable packet. One such dissolvable article is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,216, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The dissolvable material employed in that detergent packet is sold by Gilbreth International Corporation, Bensalem PA under the trademark DISSOLVO, Water Soluble Paper, DP 45LC. Such material dissolves very quickly in water (the cellulosic or wood fibers may not actually dissolve but they break up and are separated into such small fibers that they seem to dissolve). To make the DISSOLVO water soluble paper, Gilbreth utilizes paper made by Mishima Seishi, Ltd., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,155, assigned to Mishima Seishi, Ltd., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The components of the dissolvable paper may be those described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,155 insofar as the cellulosic materials are concerned. The cellulose fibers, wood pulp or wood fibers (the terms are used interchangeably) are processable on standard paper making equipment and may be made into almost any type of packet, paper, carton, etc.
A need exists for an improved toy having an enhanced entertainment value, and it is the need for such a toy that the present invention relates.